Improvement in clasps



A. GHRISTEY.

Clasp.

- No. 20 4,537. Patented June 4,1878.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE...

ARTHUR GHRISTEY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

IM PROVEMENT IN CLASPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 204,537, dated June 4,1838; application filed February 5, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR OHRIsTnY, of Buffalo, in the county of Erieand State of New York, have made certain Improvements in Clasps, ofwhich the following is a specification:

This invention is an improvement on my patent of January 8,1878, No.198,929; and consists in improvements in the construction to overcomethe excessive tension of the double back and the sharpness of the lips,all as hereinafter specified.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of my clasp with a singleflat back and one double and one single lip. Fig. 2 shows a smallerclasp with two double lips and a single or double back; Figs. 3 and 4,detail views of variations in construction.

A represents the back or upper part of a clasp, but of a singlethickness only, in which the tube or lip a is bent, (single,) and thenbent round, forming a second lip, a, till it nearly meets the first onea. It is then sharply bent back on itself, and carried up into a singleback, I), as shown in Fig. 1. This is to overcome the too great tensionof those having a double back, bent over on itself, and formed withsingle lips. The stifi'ness of the spring of the back rendered themdifficult to open for ordinary use, and the two single lips were foundtoo sharp in sliding the clasp on paper, cards, envelopes, &c., forwhich they were intended; hence the object of forming the lip 'or lipsdouble, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 shows a double back and double lips; but the back is open at thetop t i, the clasping-lips being formed double by bending each over onitself and continuing each back up single, as shown at c i. The backs ofthese clasps are made either with a hole, 0, to hang them up by, or elsea pin is attached.

Fig. 3 shows the lips bent over at the mouth 0 0, either in or out, theends only continued a short distance, and without a top or back. Therounded lips allow the smooth running of the clasp over the material onwhich it is set.

The lips may be made of double or single thickness, and will have,virtually, the same efi'ect as the double lips or a.

I claim- 1. The clasp constructed of a single piece of metal, with theback A of a single or double thickness, and the lip on or lips a a of adouble thickness, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The back A, constructed double, but open at the edge, and theclasping-lips a a, also double and forming rounded smooth edges, allconstructed out of a single sheet of metal, substantially as and for thepurposes specifled.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

. ARTHUR CHRISTEY.

Witnesses:

J. R. DRAKE, T. H. PARSONS.

